506 Mr. Pickering on the present state of the English language 
PASSAGE; a passing. Used in speaking of the passing of laws. Ex. “ Be- 
fore the question was taken on the fassage of the bill,” &c. Marsh. Life 
of Wash. vol. v. p. 844. “ The opinion....derived additional support from 
the fassage of an act by the present Congress,” &e. ibid. p. 510, et passim. 
This use of the word passage is now very common in Congress and 
our other legislative assemblies, and has been adopted by many of our 
writers. It is criticised by the English Reviewers as an American inno- 
vation. See the dnnual Review, article, Marshall’s Life of Washington. 
Zo PEAK or PEEK; to peep. A friend informs me that this word is very 
common in the towns on Connecticut river; but it is only used in conver- 
sation. The participle fAcaking also, he informs me, is used there for 
sneaking, as it is in Shaksfeare: See Johnson’s Dict. Mr. Webster has 
observed that peek is “used corruftedly for peep.” See his Dissert. on 
the Eng, Lang. p. 387. 
PECULIARS. “All feculiars, viz. such places as are not yet layd within the 
bounds of anytown.” Massachusetts Colony Laws, tit. CHARGES PUBLIOE; 
p. 15. Edit. 1660. This word is now so wholly obsolete with us, that I 
have heard even lawyers “2 sags re! Soe 
To PEEK. See To Peaks 
PENDING. This is criticised as ele in the review > oF Mashall’s Life of 
Washington in the Monthly Anthology, vol. v. p. 438. It is rarely heard 
in this country except at the Bar. : 
PERK; “lively, brisk, holding up the head.” Weést, This wird 3 is in Johnsony. 
but is marked “ odsolete.” It is used in the interior of New England, 
and is commonly pronounced fark, (the ea as in fear ) just as it is written: 
in the passage which Dr. Johnson quotes from Spenser. 
PIECES ; papers. The Edinburgh Reviewers, in their review of the American: 
Mineralogical Journal, (published at N. York in 1810 by A. Bruce) make 
the following remarks upon an article in that work written by Dr. Mitchell — 
“The two first words of it bespeak a foreign idiom, characterizing, a3 
might be expected, the Anglo-American language in which this Journal is 
written. The author begins by saying, ‘ These fieces were collected 
during a tour in the summer of 1809 ;’ and soon afterwards describing @ 
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